I am adding each week's post to the original. To get the full timeline read from the bottom up.

CHAPTERS 5-8 Q&A1. “In the Sky With Diamonds,” opens with Megan in her capsule, attempting to distract the aliens from pursuing and destroying her sister’s ship. What do you think of Megan’s argument that humans both destroy the sacred and contain it within them?▪ ▪ ▪
It made me think of our inner-child for some reason. I am always hearing people say to kids: "grow up", "toughen up", "dont be a crybaby"; yet it seems to be those things that make people less humane when they are grown. I have never said those things to my son.2. “Two Somebodies Go Hunting” is the story of Lexi and Jeff setting off to hunt a kangaroo through the desert-like outback. How do you think Lexi and Jeff’s relationship may be different going forward?▪ ▪ ▪
I think once "the secret" was out it relieved some of the tension in their relationship. I am hating calling it "tension" though because that isn't the true essence of the situation, but I can't think of another word for it. I feel the telling will help them understand each other better and let them behave more like young brother and sister than the "adults" they have had to become through hardship.3. In “Given Sufficient Desperation,” Vera categorizes items for the alien occupiers. How long do you think you would last in such a job?▪ ▪ ▪
I love looking at images on the internet, although I do get to pick my own searches. Compared to some of the jobs I have had, like working on a loading dock unloading trucks, this one would be like a vacation. Ha ha. Also, Facebook has a new identification "game" set up where you identify whether a page is categorized correctly, or if an image corresponds to the page. When I played it all I could think of was this story!4. “Selected Afterimages of the Fading,” told in second-person point of view, follows Caleb, a researcher with muscle dysmorphia working to combat the fading. Beyond yourself and your family, what would you pay the most attention to if you were a super perceiver?▪ ▪ ▪
Only because I think there would be more than enough people interested in animals and plantlife, as a musician, I would say musical instruments. Although as a faithful supporter of the underdog, I would probably ask for a list of underserved things. Ha ha. Ohhhhh... will look at that wonderful slime mold.

1. What do you think of Robert Hoge’s statement, made in the introduction, that ‘People with disability already live in a post-apocalyptic world.’?

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I think it depends on the disability and the medical treatments and equipment available. If you have severe mobility problems or sensory problems it is in a way, but post-apocalyptic environments encompass so much more than that: not enough food and medical care, improper shelter and clothing, rogue bands of viciously dangerous people, scarce drinking water, life threatening disease; which I don't think most people in first world countries ever experience all at once, if at all. If you are disabled and homeless both, then I would agree more. In a way I think saying this takes away from people living in wartorn areas and places that have very little food, insufficient shelter, drinking water, no medical care, lethal diseases, and dangerous elements all the time. These people are truly living post-apocalyptic lives.

2. In “And The Rest of Us Wait,” Iveta and her family join a multitude of others in an underground shelter to wait out the impending meteor impact. Many of the other refugees show anger and resentment about the “special treatment” received by those with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Is it really special treatment? And do you think this portrayal of resentment was realistic?

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I didn't view it as special treatment because each person was getting what they needed to stay as healthy as possible, not more than they needed. I can see the resentment being realistic in those circumstsances. Even normally giving people can act selfishly when they are under huge amounts of stress and their own survival, or a loved one's, is on the line.

3. In “To Take Into The Air My Quiet Breath,” three sisters journey to a hospital through a land devastated by a flu epidemic. Despite the closeness of these sisters, there are so many silences, so many secrets being kept—and finally shared. How much hope do you have for these characters at the end of the story?

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I think the key to this question is, "... and finally shared." I think they were a cohesive family trio and the secret keeping was part of sparing the others. They each had their own separate strengths to add to the group. I had a lot of hope for them at the end of the story, and for Baby, too.

4. In “Something in the Rain” Holly takes good care of herself and her cat, despite something hungry in the rain. My question is, are you as much of a cat person as Holly is?

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Ha ha ha, I'm as much of a cat person and all animal person. I had a goldfish for ten years, and when we moved its air bladder got off balance and it couldn't stay upright, so I sat and cradled it in my hand, after we put it back in the tank, for almost 48 hours before it righted itself. I got my ex to hold it up for a couple of hours twice so I could nap. It lived for five more years. Also, we have flooded here a couple of times in the last few years and our cat has a nicer bugout bag than we do!

5. In, “Did We Break the End of the World?” Jin and Aisha are scavengers in a city after the Pulse knocked out electricity and left only teenagers. What would be your specialty to scavenge / sell at a market after the apocalypse?

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BOOKS! They would be needed because of the battery charging difficulties. I would set up a little book stall at the trading site. I would take genre requests and try to find books to fill the orders. I would be great at recommending books, too!

6. Are there any other thoughts or comments you want to share?

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Yes, I was thinking about how much technology has helped people with physical disabilities and how in the future many will be able to live normally functioning lives with advances in these technologies. I think the stories showed this by what characters lost after the cataclysmic events. We do, however, need to make sure everyone has equal access to them.

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Hello! I am a 59 year old reader of books, many of which are YA, and literacy volunteer. I am retired from the music business, have a 25 year old son at university, believe in ghosts, and love a couple of martinis on Friday nights.

HIGHLIGHTS

Brilliant! The Imagery was stellar and the story was relatable. This would make a wonderful anime. What a spectacular way to finish up my year in reading! I was approved for this eARC , via Netgalley, in return for an honest review. I wi...

4.5 on my blog. The book gets right into the action aided by a new POV character. This new character who travels to a new, and important, location within the story is what keeps this dystopian clear of second book syndrome. Don't worry, ...

I think every teen should read this book.
4.5 stars on my blog. Why not a perfect five stars? Because I was bored out of my skull for the first 30% of this book. However, the last 50% is so much more than fabulous it almost totally made...

4.5 Stars on my blog. I accidentally requested this title on Edelweiss thinking it was The Fixer, and I am extremely happy I did! This book dealt with several sensitive issues that affect many young adults, and did it in a realistic way....

This book is spectacular! It follows a single building in Paris from 1300 to modern day. You see the building go through structural changes brought on by fires and rebuilding, changes in architectural "fashion" and upgrades, and bombing ...

Okay Goodreads, you had better be getting back to me about why my reviews are missing. Here is #12. I will have to go and copy and paste my Netgalley feedback, which was highly praising of this book, by the way!

Ha ha ha, 6.5 out of 5 on my blog if I could! This is probably the best Adult Fantasy book I have read... in my life! My review, if you like fantasy, JUST READ IT. READ IT NOW! NOW!
I have never put a gif in a Goodreads mini-review, but...

4.5 stars on my blog only because she fumbled around a little at the end to tie all plot threads together and also forgot one. An intricately woven Adult Fantasy about the origin of tarot cards, based in our modern world and an alternate...

4.5 on my blog. This book was entertaining as well as informative. The city was based on a real city that existed in Hong Kong before 1987. I have a lot of thoughts about this book and will be back to add to this mini-reciew at a decent ...

Ths is the very first time I am not going to give a book a star rating. Why? Because as an adult reading this story I LOVED IT and would give it 4.5 on my blog.
But as a Middle Grade... NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!! IT I...

To quote one of my favorite authors, Kristen Lippert-Martin, "The weirdest book I ever loved."
WARNING: This novel is not about sandcastles and ninjas.
* I think I will join Elizabeth for some popcorn and pudding.

Four stars on my blog. Why the whole star difference? Well, I know I doesn't help much, but what's up with those 2 stars ratings people?! I haven't read their reasons yet, but I will bet they are those dunderheads that say they don't lik...

4.5 stars on the blog only because there were so many secondary characters I was confused at times, until the late 25% of the book. Lol. Yeah, too many parents called by their first names. This novel has been called a story within a stor...

Um... this is the third time since the beginning of the year that there has been a disappearing rating and mini-review. I know the reviews were here because all three of them were pasted to either EW, NetG, or Amazon (sometimes all three...

This book was actually a 4 1/2, but it was one I didn't want to round down because I loved it so much. As I said in my comments it reminded me of The Casual Vacancy in style, but far less serious. It was basically a read in one sitting b...

This novel has everything I look for in a YA Fantasy story. The author gives a solid history base for the world, no-nonsense physics rules for the environment, original images, just the right amount of description for the setting to ligh...

HIGHLIGHTS

This will be 4.5 stars on my blog only because I loved the second book in this trilogy even MORE! I loved these books so much I bought all three in hardcover for my shelves. As soon as I finish the final book I will be reviewing the tril...

I will be reviewing this trilogy as a whole on my blog soon. The first two books I read pre-blogging, and I have a huge list of those early YA books which need to be reviewed. Thank goodness I read mostly series and I can review those ea...

4.5 on my blog only because I loved the second book so much. Please don't let the covers of this trilogy fool you, they are not Romance novels, I get so tired of seeing fabulous YA stories rated one and two stars because they aren't drip...

4.5 stars on my blog. I can't believe I hadn't reviewed this here yet! I am waiting to read all three books to do a blanket review on my blog because it is an older book, and the third book is supposed to be published in the US soon (it ...

This is a hidden jewel! I found this book in paperback on a $1.00 book rack at Dollar General. After I started my book blog I began scouring all of the Dollar Generals in my area for other copies to have as giveaways, but it was to no av...

See the 4 1/2 star review, with gifs and fandom links, on my blog here ----> http://lalatoadstone.blogspot.com/2014/01/splintered-my-first-blog-review.html
I was introduced to this book by two 13 year olds, Rabbit and Whisper, from a bo...

Refreshingly real and gritty! No kissy facing or love triangles; just in your face life in a dystopian world. Fen is a strong and courageous heroine, who tugs at your heart and amazes you with her facility to be both warrior and gentle c...

I would give this novel 5 and 1/2 stars if I could. What is solidifying about this review is I came into reading this book wanting to hate it because of all of the "funny business" surrounding it's pre-publication. I was pretty smug duri...

4.5 stars on my blog. After reading the first chapter I thought it was going to be just another "cookie cutter" YA Dystopian novel, but I couldn't have been more wrong!! Ms. Kipling imagines a very unique and thought provoking dystopian ...

A delightful, delicious, charming, heart-warming Middle Grade book with a message. It was like Steel Magnolias meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid wrapped up in Cinderella. This sounds so cliche, but I literally could not put it down, and I pulle...

Drum roll please...
One of my rare five star ratings!!!!
This book was exquisite, and I will be back after I have had a chance to let all of its deliciousness sink in. Brava, M.R. Graham for penning a vampire book to rival all vampire ...

I will be back with a review of this lovely book. I wanted to rate it as soon as I was finished and give it a "must read" nod. This was my first experience with Contemporary YA and it was a fabulous one! Here is the link to my full blog ...

A smooth luxurious read. I was just about finished with a full long review of this beautiful novel when the Goodread's tab dropped out, and I lost it all (damn Kindle Fire HD). I am so upset right now I can not bring myself to start over...

4.5 stars on my blog. I am so in love with this story. I was in a horrible reading slump when I picked this book up. It was probably the fifth or sixth book I had tried. I wasn't expecting to become fully engaged within the first few pag...

Well, I wrote a pretty good sized mini-review here and while I was proof reading, it jumped to another page and *poof*, all gone. I am so red-faced and fist angry right now I can't rewrite it, so... I will just say READ THIS BOOK!!! It i...